Low level exposure to weathered crude oil causes genetic damage and malformations in larval herring
- National Marine Fisheries Service, Juneau, AK (United States). Auke Bay Lab.
- Occidental Coll., Los Angeles, CA (United States)
An initial concentration of 0.7 ppb polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in weathered Alaska North Slope crude oil caused genetic damage in newly hatched Pacific herring (Clupea pallasi) exposed for 16 days during incubation. The endpoint for genetic damage was a significant increase in the percentage of anaphase aberrations in pectoral fin cells, a response that has been previously shown to be a highly sensitive indicator of crude oil exposure in larval herring. At this exposure level, there were also significant decreases in the percentages of larval survival, normal development and competent swimming, and increased percentages of yolk sac edema. Composition of the PAH, which ranged from naphthalenes through chrysenes, was weighted toward the larger ring compounds, particularly phenanthrenes. Genetic response was not as sensitive an indicator of oil exposure as yolk sac edema, jaw size, and formation of pectoral fin rays. The consequences of chromosomal aberrations in larval herring are not clear. Other experiments have shown that although the frequency of genetic damage decreases with age, malformations persist and are coupled with growth reductions. It is likely that malformed larvae die; evidence for this comes from simultaneous measurements of mortality, malformations and genetic damage in the field.
- OSTI ID:
- 460474
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-961149-; TRN: IM9718%%55
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 17. annual meeting of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry: partnerships for the environment - science, education, and policy, Washington, DC (United States), 17-21 Nov 1996; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of SETAC 17. annual meeting -- Abstract book. Partnerships for the environment: Science, education, and policy; PB: 378 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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